Apparatus for handling automobile torpedoes.



No. 717,563. I A PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903. B. A. PISKE.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AUTOMOBILE TORPEDOES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

IMIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIWIIIM I "I lllillQ Ah p I /%|fl ,Bradjw 06. 2 51433706 r j W? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BRADLEY A. FISKE, OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AUTOMOBILE TQRPEDOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,563, dated January 6, 1903.

Application filed March 10, 1902. Serial No. 97,535. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BRADLEY A. FISKE,lieutenant-commander in the United States Navy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Handling Automobile Torpedoes, (Case No. 7 of which the following is afull, clear, concise, and exact description.

The object of this invention isto enable a warship to tow alongside of her safely an automobile torpedo and to release and start it and the torpedo towed alongside.

when desired. The torpedo may afterward be steered by means of Hertzian Waves or by means of a connecting-wire. Both of these means are well known and form no part of the present invention.

At present it is not considered wise to attempt to handle automobile torpedoes in warships above the waterline,for the reason that if a torpedo were struck by an enemys projectile the damage done would be very great.

In the drawings, which are illustrative of my invention, Figure 1 illustrates the ship Fig. 2 illustrates a float carrying the torpedo proper. Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 4 illustrates a modification in which the releasing and startingmechanism are operated directly Without the intervention of electrical means, and Fig. 5 shows the releasing mechanism mounted on a float.

Similar letters of reference are used to designate the same parts wherever they are shown.

A light rope a, which tows the torpedo, is secured to the torpedo-float on, say, the port side of the float near the how. The pressure of water on the port side of the float causes the torpedo to move out to the position shown. This plan of making-fast a rope, say, to a boat towing alongside is familiar to all seamen and is often used. A towing-rope a'is also secured to'the port side of the torpedofloat,near its rear end, so that in case the ship goes astern the pressure of the water will cause the torpedo-float to keep out clear of the ship in the same manner as when the ship is goingahead. In Fig. 2 the torpedo is shown hanging below the float-say ten feet under the same. This float is made of. wood or other suitable material. pending the torpedo is old in the art." My

This means of susinvention relates more particularly to the means for letting go the towing-rope from the ends of the torpedo, starting the engines of the torpedo, and pulling out the safety-pin, which must be kept in place until the last minute in the firing-pin of the torpedo tc avoid accidents.

The towing-ropes a. a. are attached, respectively, to the catches b b, which are normally held upright against the strain of the towing-rope by'the catches c 0, controlled by the armatures of electroma'gnets d d. When current is sent through the magnets, the armatures will be attracted and the catches or tumblers b b being released the towing-ropes will slip off. The engines of the torpedoes are started by pulling back the starting-lever e, this starting-lever and its action in the engine being well known in the art. I provide for pulling the starting-lever by sending a current through the solenoid f, to the core of whichis attached the line 9, which line extends to the starting-lever. The safety-pin (shown at h) is solenoid k and the line Z, extending from the solenoid to the safety-pin, as shown. electric circuit m extends fromthe ship, the wires thereof being lashed to the light towing-.r0pe and completing a circuit through the magnets dd and the solenoids f 70. Thus by sending a current over this circuit the torpedo is released, the engine started, and the safety-pin withdrawn. The electric wires at n may be made weak, so that when the pulled out by means of the The 7 electrical apparatus is operated and the towing-rope slips off the wires will be readily broken at this point.

It is evident that the circuit may be placed in different positions and connected in differentlways with the electromagnetsd d and f and 7a tion.

I show an arrangement of mirrors 0 0 on the front of the float, which are conspicuous fromthe rear of the float, but which are intended to conceal the float when viewed from the front, the purpose being to permit the path of the float to be followed from the. rear.

In Fig. 4 the catches b b' are adapted to be released by a light rope 10, attached to the latches q q, the two latches being connected without departing from my inven- I o e by a cord. The light rope p is also attached to the starting-lever e and with the safetyplug h. Fig. 4: shows the torpedo without the tow-ropes are attached, the torpedo suspended below the float, the electromagnets d d, and a circuit extending from the ship to the said electromagnets, whereby the. tow-ropes may be released, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the float, of the torpedo suspended below the same and provided with starting mechanism 6 and safetyplug h, of electrical apparatus upon the float mechanically connected with. said starting mechanism and safety-plug, and the circuit controlled from the ship, substantially as described.

3. The float with electrical apparatus placed -thereon,and a circuit connected with the ship for controlling the same,the torpedo suspended below the float, the tow-line detachably connected with the float and the electrical apparatus, the starting mechanism of the torpedo and the safety-plug of the torpedo both connected with the said electrical appa-' ratus, whereby on operating the electrical apparatus the tow-line is disconnected from the float, the starting mechanism operated and the safety-pin withdrawn simultaneously, substantiall} as described.

4. The combination with the torpedo, of towing-ropes extending to the ship, separate means extending from the ship to the releasing and starting mechanism'of the torpedo, such separate means being supported by the towing-rope and adapted to be operated from the ship, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed-my name this 18th day of February, A. D. 1902.

BRADLEY A. FISKE.

Witnesses:

SELIG B. NEUBURGER, H. R. MATHER. 

